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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Principal Cyber Security Scientist - **Company:** Riverside Research Institute - **Location:** Fairfax, VA, United States - **Salary:** $200,000.0 - $260,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Cyber Security, Open Source Technology, Formal Methods - **Published:** September 2, 2026 - **Apply:** https://diversityjobs.com/main/sendform/8/8/28176/1/18165421?backUrl=%2Fcareer%2F18165421%2FPrincipal-Cyber-Security-Scientist-Virginia-Fairfax ## About the Role * BS with 20 years related experience, MS with 16 years related experience, PhD with 12 years related experience in a technically relevant degree * Leadership skills to develop, organize and execute significant capture activities, including building industry teams, assessing win probability, and executing customer call plans * Outstanding technical abilities in multiple areas of computing * Strong grasp on the research process (e.g., reading & writing academic papers, ideation for inventing solutions to hard problems) * TS/SCI Clearance * Self-starter and ability to manage time and technical tasks independently without direct supervision * Superior written and verbal communications skills * Motivated collaborator who's comfortable communicating to both technical and non-technical audiences ## Description Riverside Research is seeking a principal research scientist to support R&D of cutting-edge security technologies and lead technical business development to continue to grow the reach of our research. As a key member of our Secure and Resilient Systems team, the research scientist will lead efforts to prototype new security technologies in core research areas such as offensive cyber, systems security engineering, formal methods, and systems security software, working at the intersection of multiple areas to push the boundaries of security. Our goal is to get ahead and stay ahead of attackers in cost-effective ways. As a premier cyber research organization, we are committed to advancing the state of the art through sustained open source releases of our tooling (see some examples here: https://github.com/riversideresearch). We value our team culture of adaptability and experimentation in our research, delivery of capability to our customers, and technical excellence in all we do. Responsibilities Develop relationships with new customers and develop R&D opportunities with them to expand the reach of our technology and R&D services to improve national security * Foster an entrepreneurial spirit and eagerness to engage in technical marketing and business development * Lead the technical execution of existing and new research efforts by developing strong relationships with company leadership and technical contributors * Mentor technical contributors and help them grow in their careers * Develop rigor into technical execution of research programs to ensure timely delivery of high-quality technology solutions to customer problems * Work closely with program management staff to ensure proper staffing of research efforts * Share research results across the company and across industry ## Related Videos - [What makes Cybersecurity different for critical infrastructure?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/571-what-makes-cybersecurity-different-for-critical-infrastructure) - [Embracing the Hybrid Cloud: Unlocking Success with Open Source Technologies](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/883-embracing-the-hybrid-cloud-unlocking-success-with-open-source-technologies) - [When testing just doesn’t cut it](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/720-when-testing-just-doesn-t-cut-it) - [Thinking Differently - How to Make Money from Cyber Attacks & Cheats](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/745-thinking-differently-how-to-make-money-from-cyber-attacks-cheats) - [Cyber Sleuth: Finding Hidden Connections in Cyber Data](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/893-cyber-sleuth-finding-hidden-connections-in-cyber-data) - [Harnessing the Power of Open Source's Newest Technologies](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1448-harnessing-the-power-of-open-source-s-newest-technologies) ## Related Articles - [Résumé-Driven Development: How IT trends affect the job market for software developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/59-resume-driven-development-how-it-trends-affect-the-job-market-for-software-developers) - [Events like RSAC Get You CISOs. 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